The Anticipated Final Season of *The Handmaid’s Tale*
As fans eagerly await the premiere of the sixth and final season of *The Handmaid’s Tale*, the cast and creative minds behind the acclaimed Hulu series came together at PaleyFest LA. This gathering provided an opportunity for reflection on the show’s impactful journey and an exciting preview of what lies ahead.
Gathering of Stars and Creators
The event featured standout performances from the esteemed cast, including Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Bradley Whitford, Ann Dowd, Samira Wiley, O-T Fagbenle, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Sam Jaeger, and Ever Carradine. They were joined by executive producers Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, Bruce Miller, and Warren Littlefield at the Dolby Theatre for a special “clips and conversation”event that explored all six seasons. Miller expressed pride in how the show was initiated and concluded, stating, “It’s been a show that we started the way we wanted to start it; we’re ending it the way we want to end it.” Meanwhile, Littlefield noted how the series evolved into a symbol of resistance amid a transformative political landscape, remarking, “Our original goal was just to make a good TV show, and then along came our 45th president…”
Emotions Run High
During the event, the cast shared heartfelt moments as they revisited poignant scenes from earlier seasons. Strahovski humorously described a season one scene with Moss as “purely unwatchable,” while Wiley, moved by a particularly emotional recall, commented, “This show is rough.” Whitford praised Moss, referring to her performance as akin to “doing Sophie’s Choice, the series,” while expressing his own emotional resonance with the clips, stating, “I’m watching these clips and I’m bitter, and my heart is the size of a raisin, and I’m crying.”
A Love Letter to Fans
As the final season approaches, co-showrunner Yahlin Chang emphasized the intention behind these last episodes: “We really felt like we wanted this season to be a love letter to our fans. You guys have really stuck with us through thick and thin — it’s not the easiest watch.” Reflecting on the darker themes that have characterized previous episodes, Chang expressed a desire for the final season to deliver a sense of hope and triumph, stating, “This season we wanted to feel rewarding.”
Navigating Current Events
Whitford weighed in on the show’s conclusion against the backdrop of today’s political climate, noting, “It is very weird that this show started shooting in 2016; here we are, unthinkable things have happened and we’re bewildered right now.” He stressed the importance of resilience in the face of sociopolitical despair, asserting that characters like June serve as powerful reminders that, “despair’s a luxury that our children cannot afford.”
A Message of Hope
Echoing this sentiment, Littlefield added, “In a world that we want to just kind of walk away from because it’s so very painful, don’t give up the fight.” He highlighted that the women portrayed in the show are not superhuman figures; rather, they represent ordinary women accomplishing extraordinary feats. “That gives us hope and that’s what we’re trying to put forth. That is our legacy,” he remarked, underlining the ongoing struggle for rights and justice.
*The Handmaid’s Tale* is set to premiere its final season on April 8, exclusively on Hulu.